Maria Tanner Cohen

The wheel of the year has turned. The sun light is lower in the sky and more golden in its glow.
The purple heather spreads out like a royal cloak across the mountains and the Black Berry, Elder Berry and Rowan Berry are turning colour. All that bloomed in the height of the summer is now slowly turning inward, to seed.

In the spiral of time we have come round again to Celtic cross-quarter festival of Lughnasadh, the celebration of Lughnasadh has been of great importance in Ireland since pre-historic times.
Our oldest Irish texts tell us that the festival (Aonach ) of Lughnasadh was instituted by the God Lugh of the Tuatha Dé Danann, to honour the passing of his step mother Tailtiu who was a Godess of ancient Irish Race of the Fir Bolg .
Tailtiu is said to have brought knowledge of agriculture to Ireland and ironically she died while working to clear fields.
Akin to nature inner movement of harvest and completion, Tailtiu’s work was done, the fruits of her life’s labour culminated in Lughnasadh .

The Seed is life compressed into its most concentrated form, tiny husk storing the potential of its wild imagination.

Enjoy the last of the Summer wine my friends, Lúnasa Shona.